Passage structure for air compressor

ABSTRACT

A passage structure for an air compressor mainly has a trough extended from inside of a casing that communicates with a second space to increase the contact area of air and the casing. The trough has an outer surface with a plurality of cooling fins located thereon to enhance total heat dissipation effect. The trough forms an additional space to increase air capacity and can reduce noise during compression operation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a passage structure for an air compressor and particularly to a structure that can increase heat dissipation efficiency and reduce noise during operation of the air compressors.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The rapid progress of society mainly results from people's constantly pursuing a better quality of life. Many new products have been developed and introduced to meet this requirement. Compressor is one of such products. The constant innovation of people has greatly expanded the application scope of the compressor.

The conventional compressor still has problems during operation, such as generating high air temperature and noise. During compression process of air, the pressure provided by the compressor usually is greater than the upper compressible limit of the air. To reach balance, the air temperature has to rise. But excessive high temperature tends to accelerate wearing of facilities and shorten service life. If the air is to be used by human being, people will feel uncomfortable. On the other hand, not only the machine generates a noise during operation, but also the air compression dose. The noise makes users uncomfortable and reduces the quality of using the machine.

In short, to satisfy the rapid change pace of the modern society, the problems of the compressor have to be resolved. The present invention aims to practice this issue.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a passage structure for an air compressor so that air and casing have a larger contact area and the casing has a plurality of cooling fins and a trough to increase total heat dissipation efficiency.

Another object of the invention is to provide a second space in the casing for guiding compressed air flow and a trough to increase the housing space thereby to reduce noise during air compression operation of the compressor.

The passage structure for an air compressor of the invention is fastened to a compressing unit. The heat dissipation structure includes a upper casing and a lower casing, two spaces located in the casing to form a first space and a second space, and four ports formed on the casing, namely a first port, a second port, a third port and a fourth port. The first port and the second port are communicated through the first space. The first space communicates with the exterior through the first port and the second port. The third port and the fourth port are communicated through the second space, and the second space communicates with the exterior through the third port and the fourth port. A trough for housing is formed in the lower casing by extending an inner surface thereof. The trough communicates with the second space. A plurality of cooling fins are formed by extending the outer surface of the trough to increase heat dissipation efficiency and reduce noise.

The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a second embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Refer to FIGS. 1 and 2 for a first embodiment of the invention. The passage structure for an air compressor of the invention is fastened to a compressing unit 10. The passage structure includes a casing 20, two spaces including a first space 30 and a second space 32, four ports including a first port 40, a second port 42, a third port 44 and a fourth port 46, a trough 50 and a plurality of cooling fins 52.

The compressing unit 10 has a compression chamber 12, communicated with the exterior through an air suction port 14 and an air discharging port 16. The casing 20 includes an upper casing 22 and a lower casing 24 interposed by a washer 60 to form an airtight sealing effect to prevent air from flowing out through the gap between the upper casing 22 and the lower casing 24. The washer 60 has a plurality of vents 62 to allow the second space 32 formed between the upper casing 22 and the lower casing 24 to become communicable. The first space 30 and second space 32 are formed in the casing 20 in a ditch and/or trough manner on the upper casing 22 and/or lower casing 24. The first port 40 and the second port 42 are formed respectively on the upper casing 22 and the lower casing 24, and are communicated through the first space 30. Thereby the first space 30 also can communicate with the exterior. The third port 44 and the fourth port 46 are formed respectively on the lower casing 24 and the upper casing 22, and are communicated through the second space 32. Thereby the second space 32 also can communicate with the exterior. The air suction port 14 corresponds to the second port 42. The air discharging port 16 corresponds to the third port 44. A check valve (not shown in the drawings) may be interposed between the air suction port 14 and the second port 42, and between the air discharging port 16 and the third port 44. The trough 50 is formed by extending the outer surface of the lower casing 24 and communicates with the second space 32. Namely the space formed by the trough 50 is a portion of the second space 32. The cooling fins 52 are extended from the outer surface of the trough 50.

When the compressor starts operation, it sucks external air and compress the air to a selected location. The air enters through the first port 40 into the first space 30. Meanwhile the check valve prevents the air from entering through the air discharging port 16 to the compression chamber 12. Then the air flows through the second port 42 which communicates with the first space 30 and the air suction port 14 abutting the second port 42, and enters the compression chamber 12 of the compressing unit 10 to be compressed. The compressed air is discharged through the air discharging port 16 outside the compression chamber 12. The check valve also prevents the air from discharging through the air suction port 14 outside the compression chamber 12. Next, the air passes through the third port 44 abutting the air discharging port 16 and enters the second space 32, and passes through the fourth port 46 and flows out through the second space 32. When the air is compressed, its temperature rises. The air flow contacts with the inner surface of the second space 32 to transfer heat to the exterior. The second space has a larger air housing capacity due to the trough 50, and can increase the contact area with the air. The enlarged air housing space also can reduce pulse noise during the air compression, and also enable the compressed air to be discharged more smoothly. Increasing of the air contact area also can improve heat dissipation efficiency. The cooling fins 52 extended from the outer surface of the trough 50 can further enhance heat dissipation effect.

Refer to FIG. 3 for a second embodiment of the invention. It differs from the previous embodiment by having only one vent 62 on the washer 60. The vent 62 corresponds to a distal end of the second space 32 on the lower casing 24. The air flow path of this embodiment is as follow: first, the air enters the second space 32 of the lower casing 24 and flows to the distal end thereof; next enters the second space 32 of the upper casing 22 through the vent 62 of the washer 60 and flows to the distal end; finally the air is discharged through the fourth port 46. Thus the air has a higher probability to be in contact with the surface of the second space 32 to absorb more heat. Therefore the air temperature discharged through the fourth port 46 is not too high. Compared with the first embodiment, it has a higher efficiency.

In short, the invention provides a heat dissipation structure for a air compressor. During operation of the compressor the heat dissipation structure not only can increase heat dissipation efficiency, also provide a greater air housing capacity in a limited space of the compressor. Noise generated during operation of the compressor also can be reduced. It offers a significant improvement over the conventional techniques.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A passage structure for an air compressor fastened to a compressing unit, comprising: a casing which includes a upper casing and a lower casing; two spaces including a first space and a second space located in the casing; and four ports including a first port, a second port, a third port and a fourth port formed on an outer surface of the casing; the first port and the second port being communicated through the first space, the first space communicating with exterior through the first port and the second port; the third port and the fourth port being communicated through the second space, the second space communicating with the exterior through the third port and the fourth port.
 2. The passage structure for an air compressor of claim 1, wherein the lower casing has a trough extended from an inner surface thereof to form a housing space.
 3. The passage structure for an air compressor of claim 2, wherein the casing has a plurality of cooling fins extended from the outer surface of casing.
 4. The passage structure for an air compressor of claim 1, wherein the casing is made from metal, a heat conductive material.
 5. The passage structure for an air compressor of claim 1, wherein the first port and the fourth port are formed on the upper casing, and the second port and the third port are formed on the lower casing.
 6. The passage structure for an air compressor of claim 1, wherein the upper casing and the lower casing are interposed by a washer to form an airtight sealing.
 7. The passage structure for an air compressor of claim 6, wherein the washer has at least one vent communicating with the second space formed between the upper casing and the lower casing.
 8. The passage structure for an air compressor of claim 1, wherein the second port and the third port are communicated through a compression chamber of the compressing unit.
 9. The passage structure for an air compressor of claim 8, wherein the compression chamber communicates with the exterior through an air suction port and an air discharging port, the air suction port corresponding to the second port, the air discharging port corresponding to the third port. 